Flood Preparedness and Early Warning

The Eastern Nile region in particular is characterized by highly variable flows, making it prone to severe floods and droughts. Floods cause immense damage in terms of death and loss of livelihoods, as well as increased food insecurity through loss and damage of crops and livestock. For example, the 2006 floods in Ethiopia resulted in 700 deaths and displaced 242,000 people. It is estimated that the annual average damage is over USD25 million from floods in the rural areas of the Blue Nile, where poverty rates are very high.

Cooperation among the Eastern Nile countries of Sudan, Ethiopia, and Egypt has helped to address this challenge effectively through a large scale trans-boundary project. The Flood Preparedness and Early Warning (FPEW) project was designed by NBI’s Eastern Nile Technical Regional Office (ENTRO) to respond to recurrent floods, help farmers cope with shocks from floods and droughts and build resilience and food security.